It always amazes me when people on the AdSense forums just don't get basic differences in behavior. A recent example of this is when Google posted Ad and image placement: a policy clarification over on the AdSense Blog.

For some people, this was seen as a major new rule. If it's a new rule, how come they called it a clarification?

But what really got to me was posts like this one: 'Why is "misleading" user with an image is not appropriate, but "misleading" by blending is, and encouraged?'

Are there really people out there that can't tell the difference between doing things to stop ad blindness, and doing things to trick people into clicking?

Well, I will lay it out for you in two easy pieces:

1. Google and the advertisers wants the ads to be noticed. Having people notice the ads, and read them is good. then those people can decide if they want to click on those ads.

2. Google and the advertisers do not want people to click on the ads accidentally. They do not want people to click on the ads thinking that the ad has anything to do with the picture next to it.

Blending is all about avoiding ad blindness, not deceit.